Why the Kings’ 3rd Jersey Should be L.A.’s Home Jersey

It has been well-documented on Crowned Royal that I am a jersey addict. And as a jersey addict, I feel I have to say something. I think about it every time I watch a Kings game.

The Kings’ 3rd jersey should be changed to the home jersey. I am not a big fan of teams changing their jersey every other year. It shows a lack of identity. However, I’m going to let this one slide. Why?

Because the Kings have a new identity. A new attitude.

The Birth: The “Forum Blue and Gold” (aka purple and gold) jerseys were the sweaters that are started it all for Los Angeles. They were the new kids on the block, and when someone sees a fan with one of those old school jerseys, that’s what they think about.

Coming of Age: New variations of the purple and gold’s were worn, including contrasting shoulders, patches, and an overhauled logo. Names were added to the back. Progress was being made. The same went for the team. New stars ran the show. Marcel Dionne, Dave Taylor, Jimmy Carson, and Luc Robitaille suited up for a team that began to rival NHL heavyweights like the Oilers.

Primetime: Out with the old, in with the new. Gretzky in, Dionne out, silver in, gold out. The team boasted a new identity. A team that would command your attention. They weren’t the Kings of old. They were the new Kings. And with the new Kings, came new jerseys and colors.

Not Much Going On…So Let’s Change ‘Em Up: So the last jerseys didn’t work out too well. After a terribly painful dismantling of the team, the Kings were left without an identity. They weren’t the same Kings of the Gretzky days anymore. But they weren’t exactly a new, exciting team. So, the Kings took both jerseys, blended them, and created a black and purple combo that worked nicely.

Rebirth: The Kings had landed on some jerseys they liked, but decided to pull a switch-a-roo on the logos. A lot of people griped, saying the team had just changed the jerseys (which we all just ran out and bought), only to change them again to sell us an updated version. But, you have to agree, the metallic crown logo works a lot better than the shield. This was an exciting time to be a Kings fan. The Kings were starting to make a splash in the West after wandering aimlessly for years. Members of the old guard sported the new sweaters (Robitaille, Blake), but there was still no defined identity of the team.

Reebok to the Rescue: Changed the jersey up again, made it sleeker, lighter using only subtle differences. It just so happened that these alterations came during a changing of the guard in Los Angeles. New players like Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, and Jack Johnson were now the faces of the Kings; a new identity was emerging. However, these are still a variation of the same jersey the Kings wore when Donald Audette and Bob Corkum played in L.A.

Back in Black: The Kings take the new jerseys, the Gretzky-era jerseys, throw them in a jersey blender and out pops the coolest sweater to hit the ice in L.A. for a long time. This jersey hitches a ride on the backs of a new, competitive team defined by their youth and talent. For the first time in a decade, the Kings are known for something good and they have the sweaters to look good while doing it.

Just one catch. It’s an alternate or ‘3rd’ jersey.

The team wore the jersey for every home game of the playoffs last season, which was an amazing time for all of us Kings fans. They adopted the phrase “Back in Black,” telling the fans that the team was returning to the (almost) glory of the Gretzky days. They look sharp. They look mean.

They should be the Kings’ new primary jerseys.

It’s a new Kings team wearing these jerseys. A team that, hopefully, will win the Cup. It’s time to ditch the old and bring in the new. Just like when the team got rid of the ‘purple and golds’ to usher in the Gretzky era, the Kings need to ditch the black and purples to usher in the Kopitar-Quick-Doughty era. Make a white version of them to wear on the road, redesign the current home jersey to be the new 3rd jersey. Maybe one with a little more purple if the team is committed to hanging onto the color. But it’s time to stop kidding ourselves and fully embrace these sweaters.